


Destined to Fall

by xBlackxRosexRebellionx



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Male Vampire Finds His Soulmate, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, The catch is: she's a human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:28:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22338541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xBlackxRosexRebellionx/pseuds/xBlackxRosexRebellionx
Summary: Dani seems to have a little... problem, you could say. She's been having rather elaborate, sordid dreams about a man that she's never met - and not just ANY man, but the most sinfully delicious looking vampire she's ever seen. The thing is, she's never even met this guy. He can't be real... Or can he?Julian has been plagued with dreams of a certain little female human for the past three months. At first, he thinks it's a coincidence. But, when the dreams keep occurring, he starts to wonder if maybe there's not more to it. And then, when he sees her at the newest club in town, he knows that his fate - and hers - is sealed. For 200 years, he's been searching for his soulmate. And now that he's found her, he has NO intentions of letting her go.
Relationships: Original Male Vampire/Original Female Human
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Destined to Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is designed to introduce the main characters as well as give a little information as to Dani's current problem: she's been having rather sordid dreams about a man that she's never met - and not just ANY man but the most sinfully delicious looking vampire she's ever seen. This chapter also gives you a glimpse into the typical day for Dani. Future chapters will switch back and forth between Dani's point of view and Julian's perspective, but this first chapter is centered around Dani and her friends.

**_Destined to Fall_ **

_I've been waiting for you  
It's been so long  
I knew just what I would do  
When I heard your song  
The next thing I felt was you  
Holding me close  
What am I gonna do?  
I let myself go  
  
Nothing left to say  
Take my breath away  
Whispering your name  
Tie me up in chains  
No one puts it down like me  
  
Strength I could have known  
Make me beg for more  
Climbing up the walls  
Banging down the doors  
Knowing that you hear my scream  
  
But ooh  
Your love's so cruel  
You make me wanna go, go, go, go, go, ooh ooh  
All the things you do  
You make me wanna go, go, go, go, go, go, ooh  
  
Captured effortlessly  
That's the way it was  
Happened so naturally  
I did not know it was love  
You filled my heart with a kiss  
You give me freedom  
You knew I could not resist  
I needed someone  
  
Nothing left to say  
Take my breath away  
Whispering your name  
Tie me up in chains  
No one puts it down like me  
  
Strength I could have known  
Make me beg for more  
Climbing up the walls  
Banging down the doors  
Knowing that you hear my scream  
  
But ooh  
Your love's so cruel  
You make me wanna go, go, go, go, go, ooh ooh  
All the things you do  
You make me wanna go, go, go, go, go, go, ooh  
  
Because who are you  
To make me hmmm  
And it's you ooh_

_  
And you go, and you go...  
  
Ooh  
Your love's so cruel  
You make me wanna go, go, go, go, go ooh ooh  
All the things you do  
You make me go, go, go, go, go, go ooh_

** Chapter 1: Crimson Eyes and Little White Lies **

_Danika sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she gazed down at the gorgeous man standing at the foot of the bed, that long mane of thick, curly, raven-colored hair falling to his shoulders and those pale, green eyes locked on her. While the tousled state of his hair gave the impression that he’d just rolled out of bed, his eyes were bright and alert, letting her know that he was, in fact, wide awake._

_She took in those arching brows, the sharp angles of his slender cheeks, his firm jawline. He was clean-shaven, his cheeks smooth and soft, but he had long sideburns that matched the color of his hair. Her eyes roamed over the length of his nose then, the roundness of his chin, and those thin and yet somehow sensual lips. The dimples that framed his mouth gave him a certain boyish charm, only adding to the appeal._

_Her eyes continued their downward trek, taking in the broad shoulders and lean muscles of his arms, the large palms of his hands and his long, slender fingers, discovering that five of his fingers bore silver or titanium rings of various designs. He was built with a solid frame, his pecs firm and his waist slender and toned, leading down to the chiseled lines of his hips. His hips were narrow, his legs long and sturdy._

_But the most intriguing aspect of his physique was the ink that decorated his body. His body was like a canvas, thick, black, intricate, tribal flames etched into the left side of his body, spanning from the left half of his chest across his shoulder, down his left arm, clear down to his wrist, and stretching from his chest clear down to his left hip. And there, on his right hip, was a wicked looking skull with a sinister smile, half-covered by the black boxer briefs he wore. Accompanying his ink was a black leather necklace with a black, tribal, flame-like symbol hanging from it and a brown hemp bracelet with cream colored beads woven into the band that rested on his right wrist._

_It didn’t take long for Dani to come to the firm conclusion that the man was sex incarnate, sinfully delicious and devilishly handsome. And the longer she gazed at him, the further that wicked grin stretched across his handsome face. But he didn’t interrupt her, choosing to let her look her fill and revel in the attention she was giving him instead._

_“What are you doing?” she asked him, finally breaking the spell as her eyes searched his handsome face while she waited for his response._

_He climbed onto the bed and started crawling towards her, his eyes darkening and taking on a predatory look as he stalked towards her, like a tiger stalking its prey. Her teeth sank further into the flesh of her bottom lip as she watched the muscles and tendons flex just beneath his skin and a crooked, mischievous smirk curled at one corner of his lips, a wicked glint filling his eyes as he drew nearer._

_“I just couldn’t seem to get you out of my head,” he informed her, his voice so smooth and intoxicating, like liquid sex._

_His words were laden with a British accent and she watched those sensual lips move as he spoke. But it wasn’t simply his accent or his lips that had her pussy clenching in anticipation. No. It was the look in his eyes when her own green ones finally met those viridescent orbs, finding that they were nearly as dark as emeralds as his lust consumed him._

_“And what, exactly, was I doing in your head?” she questioned, one brow rising in curiosity._

_He drew even closer until his lips were just a hair’s breadth from hers, his warm breath fanning over her face. She found herself trying to lean in closer, desperate to feel his lips pressed against hers, but he eased his head back, pausing when his lips were just out of reach. She pouted but was reminded of her previous question when he finally answered it._

_“You were sprawled out on this very bed…” he practically purred, the words rolling off of his tongue so smoothly in that deep baritone that was all his own, that voice that should’ve been illegal in all 50 states._

_She felt a shudder rip down her spine at his implication and she could’ve SWORN she saw the ghost of a smirk curl at his lips once more, the smug son of a bitch. But it was gone before she could be completely certain that it was even there in the first place._

_“And what… exactly was I doing on the bed?” she inquired, feeling her pulse kick up a notch at the closeness of his presence and the warmth of his body seeping across the sparse space that separated them._

_“You had your head tipped back, those beautiful, emerald eyes closed, and you were screaming my name for all the world to hear,” he replied as casually as if he was reciting the alphabet._

_But his words were anything but casual. In fact, her eyes drifted shut and a shudder raced down her spine upon hearing him utter those words._

_“And why… exactly was I screaming?” she dared to ask, holding her breath as she waited for his answer._

_“Because I was buried inside of you…” he murmured, leaning in to nuzzle the tip of his nose against the side of hers, drawing first closer to her lips and then easing away from her when she tried to lean forward and press her lips to his, “SO deep inside of that hot, tight little pussy. I was fucking you… and GOD you were so sweet, so wet, so fucking PERFECT, Dani…”_

_She gasped at his bold statement, her eyes flying open to find those pale eyes locked on her face, his lids drooping in desire. He looked like he wanted to eat her alive. And right then, she would’ve let him. Fuck she would’ve let him do ANYTHING he wanted to her, with her, for her._

_“Howdidyoufuckme?” she sighed, her words all rushing out in a jumbled mess._

_A slow, sure smile crept across that devilishly handsome face and he turned the tables on her, asking, “You wanna know what I did to you, Dani?”_

_“Yes,” came her immediate reply as she gave an energetic nod of her head._

_He leaned back a little, his eyes fixed on her as he studied her face._

_“You wanna know how I fucked you?” he pressed._

_Again, she nodded, leaning forward slightly as she repeated, “Yes.”_

_His smile was downright sinful, his voice growing even huskier, even deeper, as he leaned in once more and growled, “I fucked that tight little pussy so hard and you fucking LOVED it… You left scratches down my back and gripped me tight with your thighs while I buried my cock inside of you… again… and again… and again… I fucked that tight, wet little cunt until you shrieked and spasmed around my cock… And then I came in a hot, wet rush inside of those tight walls…”_

_Danika felt her pussy clench hard, her body shuddering and every nerve ending in her body standing on end as his words met her ears. Much to her disappointment, she released a pathetic little whimper and brought one hand up behind his head, sifting her fingers through those soft, thick, dark curls and tugging him down to her._

_His lips were everything she’d imagined they would be – so soft and warm and sensual. And more, SO much more._

_She whimpered, leaning into him and pressing her lips more firmly to his as her fingers fisted in those soft curls. The sound he made in response, that deep, rumbling growl that coursed up from somewhere deep within his chest, made her melt for him, forming a Dani-shaped puddle of Jell-O beneath him. She felt his tongue, warm and wet, dart out of his mouth to trace the shape of her lower lip. He traced it from one corner of her mouth to the other, the motion oh-so-slow, almost as if he was trying to memorize the shape of her mouth, and she slowly parted her lips for him, granting him access._

_He wasted no time, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She felt the tip of his tongue teasing the tip of her own with small, playful flicks and she dared to mimic his motions. He rewarded her for her efforts, sliding his tongue along the side of hers to massage the muscle. Next, she felt him stroking the inside of her mouth, licking and tasting every part of it. He explored the roof of her mouth, the inside of her cheeks, the back of her teeth, every little nook and cranny he could find. She couldn’t help but moan and tighten her grip on his hair, eagerly chasing after his elusive tongue. And yet he wouldn’t relent, wouldn’t allow her the pleasure of pausing in his exploration to let his tongue dance with hers._

_Dani quickly grew impatient, tugging at his hair slightly and chasing after his tongue with her own, determined to either capture it or convince him let her join in the fun. She tried everything she could think of, teasing his tongue with playful little flicks and stroking the sides of his tongue with her own. She traced his lips with her tongue and stroked the underside of his tongue. She swirled her tongue around his and then eased it away in an attempt to coax him into chasing it. Hell, she even tried tilting her head back to give him better access to her mouth and moaning in encouragement. But nothing seemed to work. And now she was more determined than ever to gain the upper hand._

_So, she did the only thing she could think of. She brought both hands up to cradle his face and captured his tongue between her lips, sucking on the warm, wet muscle. His reaction was instant. He voiced a low snarl, one of his large palms grasping at her hip and his fingers digging into her flesh over the thin nylon of her black boy shorts. His other hand rested on the bed beside her head and he used one knee to separate her thighs. She whimpered at the friction it created when his knee slid against her over the crotch of her panties, her body arching instinctively to bring her hips closer to the source of pleasure._

_He shifted positions, straddling her thigh with one leg between her thighs and the other on the opposite side of her thigh. She whimpered in protest, preferring his previous position better, and felt him start to chuckle before he eased back from their kiss. A smile played at his lips as he gazed down at her, amusement filling those pale, green orbs. She pouted, sliding one hand down to find the one he had grasping her hip. She loosened his hold on her and dragged his hand down between her thighs, where she wanted it most._

_“Mmm…” her taunting lover purred, slowly sliding his fingers up the length of her slit over the nylon, “It’s like a sauna down there… So hot…”_

_She whined, rocking her hips towards his long, slender, skilled fingers, and the moist spot on the thin, black nylon started to grow larger. He ran the tips of his fingers on up to brush them over that little bundle of nerves hidden between her folds and she gasped, her head flying back as her eyes closed and her hips jerked towards his explorative fingers._

_“Please!” she begged._

_“Please what?” he prompted, that cocky little smirk curling at those sensual lips that made her want to lean up and sink her teeth into them._

_“More…” Dani pleaded, “Please.”_

_He tilted his head to one side, those brilliant, pale eyes studying her as he hinted, “I’m not quite sure what you’re asking for, love. You’re gonna have to be a little more specific.”_

_She whimpered, arching her hips against his hand and mumbling, “Touch me...”_

_The smirk stretched even further across his handsome face and he pressed, “Touch you where?”_

_“There!” she cried as he rubbed a taunting finger over her clit in a slow, lazy circle._

_“And how do you want me to touch you there?” he inquired._

_She was quickly growing tired of his games. He knew EXACTLY what she wanted._

_“You know EXACTLY what I want,” she scolded, her voice holding a low warning as she narrowed her eyes at him._

_“I’m sorry, love, but I’m afraid I don’t,” he replied._

_“Don’t play games with me,” she told him._

_“Games? Whatever gave you the impression that I’m playing games, love?” he taunted, working just the tip of his pinky over the length of her slit even as his eyes dared her to challenge him._

_And that was all it took._

_She brought one leg up, bringing the heel of her foot down into his spine and catching him by surprise. The move stunned him just long enough for her to flip them over and assume the dominant position. She smirked down at him, her lips curling up in self-satisfaction as she gazed down at him, before pushing herself up so that she sat perched on his lap, straddling him. It was then that she felt as well as heard the deep, rumbling growl that coursed up from his firm, broad chest._

_He narrowed those stunning, green eyes at her and accused, “Now THAT was cheating, love.”_

_“You never said I had to play fair,” she pointed out, “Besides, if that rule was in effect, HALF of your signature moves would be against the regulations.”_

_He raised one brow and cocked his head slightly in an “I’ll give you that one” gesture._

_“Would it kill you to let me have control for once?” she questioned, peering down at him as she moved her hands to place them beside either side of his head and lowering herself to hover just above him._

_Her long, mousy brown curls fell over her shoulders and around her face, forming a curtain around them as she peered down at him._

_“It just might,” he retorted, a sly grin curling at his lips and a wicked glint sparkling in his eyes._

_She knew that look. She’d seen it many times. And she knew that it meant trouble._

_She opened her mouth, her green eyes growing wide as she began to sputter, “No. ABSOLUTELY not. Don’t you even THINK about –,”_

_But she never got to finish that sentence._

_His large hands found her hips and he used his weight to flip them back over, tumbling her onto her back beneath him once more as he gave her that cocky, crooked little smirk that made the most adorable dimples appear, framing either side of his mouth. He looked as proud as a damn peacock. She was surprised he didn’t puff his chest out. Scratch that. She was surprised his damn head didn’t explode with all that arrogance he carried around._

_Her eyes narrowed and she accused, “Oooo! Who’s cheating now?”_

_His smirk stretched even further across his handsome face as he leered down at her, gloating, “Just trying to prove a point, love.”_

_“And what’s that? That you’re an asshole?” she spouted right off._

_He laughed at that. He actually tipped his head back and gave a hearty chuckle at her expense. She narrowed her eyes even further and made an “Oooo…” noise to voice her disapproval._

_“No, love. But I suppose I’ll give you that one,” he conceded, “I was merely trying to prove to you that the ONLY time you’re in control is when I relinquish it to you. But I’ll give you an A for effort and execution.”_

_Her face contorted into a mask of annoyance, her brows and lips flat and her eyes narrowing slightly. He simply smirked down at her._

_“If I DO recall, I’ve NEVER heard any complaints come out of that pretty little mouth when I’m the one in control,” he stated, “And I had half a mind to show you just what I did to you in that dream…”_

_His voice lowered to a deep, rumbling purr as he neared the end of his last sentence and her heart skipped a beat._

_He grinned down at her and cocked his head to one side slightly, asking, “Oh… So, my Dani likes the sound of that, does she?”_

_She just nodded, finding that she was unable to speak._

_“What’s the matter, love?” he teased, his tone light, playful, “Cat got your tongue?”_

_She shook her head and watched as his nostrils flared and he tipped his head back slightly, letting his eyes drift shut._

_“Ahh…” he sighed as he slowly lowered his head once more and his eyes fluttered open, “She REALLY likes the sound of that.”_

_His voice was a low, rumbling baritone now, his eyes having changed to show his true form. The irises were now a deep, rich crimson color, the whites having turned to black instead, and, as she watched, his canine teeth lengthened into sharp, pointed fangs._

_She felt her cheeks flushing as she realized that he was taking in the scent of her desire. Damn him!_

_“Well then…” he practically growled, lowering his mouth to her ear, “I think I’d better give her a little demonstration…”_

_She swallowed hard, her heart hammering against her ribs and her breaths becoming shallow as she felt the moisture flood her panties._

_She felt his large hands find the waistband of said panties, his fingers curling around the thin material and yanking harshly, rendering the material completely useless as it ripped at the seams, revealing her to his hungry gaze._

_He tipped his head back then, his eyelids fluttering closed even as his nostrils flared wildly and his fangs grew even longer. Oh, he could smell her alright._

_Goosebumps spread over her skin as the realization sank in, and he lowered his head, that hungry, predatory gaze meeting hers. He was practically panting, the beast within him struggling for control, and it caused his chest to heave with his every breath._

_“You have no idea the things you do to me, Dani,” he growled, the low baritone sending a shudder racing down her spine, “But you are about to find out…”_

_With that, he tore the ripped material away from her hips, tossing it away from them, and lowered his head. His large hands and long, slender fingers wrapped around her thighs, spreading them wide and bringing them up to drape them over the broad expanse of his shoulders. Her heels rested against the rippling muscles of his back and her fingers wove through his hair, fisting in the long, dark curls._

_If she was honest, she didn’t know if she would last five fucking minutes if he used that wicked mouth on her. And it came as no surprise that a strangled moan escaped her as the wet heat of his tongue found the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh, working a trail of hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses up the length of her thigh, heading right for the apex of her thighs._

_Her grip on his hair grew tighter with every kiss, every flick of his tongue, every low snarl that spilled from his lips._

_“Mmm…” he purred, “So soft… So sensitive… So warm… So… DELICIOUS…”_

_And with that, he brought his head back, lining his fangs up with the vein that ran along the inside of her thigh, and pierced the delicate flesh._

Danika gasped, flying upright in bed even as she pressed one hand over her racing heart. The traitorous thing was threatening to beat right out of her chest.

She shook her head at herself, closing her eyes as she struggled to regulate her heartbeat and regain her composure. She took a couple deep breaths, refilling her lungs with oxygen, and brought one hand up to run her fingers through her long, mousy brown curls.

“Get it together, Dani,” she scolded herself, “It’s just a dream.”

Yeah, just another one of the dozen or so erotic dreams that had plagued her subconscious over the past three months. And what’s worse was that she’d never even _seen_ the guy from her dreams before. At first, she’d thought that the first couple of dreams she’d had were just a coincidence. But then they kept occurring, each of them growing more and more graphic in detail and each of them starring the same man – No. The same _vampire –_ that left her waking up in a tangle of sheets, soaked in sweat and needing a fresh pair of panties.

The whole thing was ridiculous, really. The idea of a man desiring her like that? And not just _any_ man, but the most sinful and irresistible man she’d ever seen? It was downright laughable! And _vampires?_ Where the hell had her mind dredged that up?

But a quick glance at her alarm clock told her that she didn’t have time to sit around and debate with herself about it. She had to be at her shift at The Neverending Story, one of the local bookstores there in Jericho, in an hour.

She sighed, reaching up to smooth her hair back and fix it up into a messy bun. She slid out of bed and headed over to her closet, tugging it open and pulling out her favorite teal colored, loose-knitted, pull-over sweater. The gaps between the material required a cami to go underneath it, but it allowed her to feel the cool breeze on her skin, something she enjoyed in October there in California. She chose a navy colored camisole to pull on over a black lace bra and then she pulled the sweater on over it. She paired the ensemble with a pair of faded, denim holey jeans and her trusty black on black Converse.

She swiped her necklace off of her dresser, slipping the delicate, silver chain around her neck so that the silver ring was tucked underneath her sweater. Then she slipped her black, wire-framed glasses into place, grabbed her keys, and made sure that she had her cell and her wallet tucked into her back pockets before heading out of her room.

She pulled up in front of the bookstore 20 minutes later, starting for the door before she realized that it was her turn to get coffee that morning and making a U-turn to head into the coffee shop right next door.

Reggie, the owner of the coffee shop, was standing behind the counter that morning. She glanced up from wiping down the counter and her hazel eyes brightened, a brilliant smile stretching across her face.

Reggie was probably the closest thing that Dani had ever had to a mother and anyone that didn’t know Dani probably assumed that Reggie _was_ her mother, considering how similar they looked and how much time they spent together. Regina O’Laughlin was a redheaded woman with “piss and vinegar” running through her veins, as she liked to say – though Dani thought it was probably more likely that her spirited personality and her ability to out-drink any man she’d ever met, excluding Dani’s father of course, was a direct result of her Irish lineage. Dani had known Reggie for as long as she could remember. With Dani’s father being a former DEA agent – who was now retired and spent his time training her brother and about a dozen other guys mixed martial arts at the gym he’d opened up five years ago – he’d been gone a lot and he’d needed someone that he could trust to look after his kids. And with five Malones, well that was _quite_ a job. But Reggie had welcomed them all into her life – and her home – with open arms. Hell, she’d practically raised those kids. And, somewhere between all the sleepovers, the study sessions, the football games, the school dances, and the MMA matches, all five of Marcus Malone’s kids had come to look at Reggie as the surrogate mother she had really become for that family.

So, it had come as no surprise when Dani’s father had announced that he was dating the smart-mouthed but soft-hearted Irishwoman. Just three years ago, Dani’s father had moved in with Reggie at her house out in the country and, a year after that, she’d opened this very coffee shop. In fact, Reggie had been the one that had sealed the deal for Dani when it came to getting her job there at the bookstore when it had opened last year.

“Well good morning, Dani,” Reggie greeted.

“Morning, Reggie,” Dani replied, returning her smile.

“You want your usual?” Reggie inquired, heading over to grab a Styrofoam cup and slide a no-slip grip onto it.

“Yes please,” Dani answered.

Dani was a creature of habit. She rarely strayed from her usual order. But who could blame her when Reggie made a _mean_ peppermint mocha latte?

“And can I get a pumpkin spice latte and a chocolate ice cream smoothie too please?” Dani added, “It’s my turn to get coffee this morning.”

Reggie nodded to her before giving a jerk of her head towards the display case where the baked goods were kept.

“I ordered more of that brownie cheesecake you and Laney fought over the last time you two were in here together,” she said with a laugh.

Dani threw her a smile and headed over to peer through the glass display case, her green eyes drifting over the muffins, turnovers, fritters, and other pastries that were kept on one side of the divider until they landed on the desserts.

“There are _so_ many good choices, Reg,” Dani complained, “How am I ever supposed to pick one? I mean mint brownies? Brownie cheesecake? Raspberry rumble cheesecake? Cheesecake brownies? How am I supposed to pick one when they _all_ sound good?”

Reggie just laughed, placing the drinks into a carrier and setting it on the counter as she leaned against it, waiting for Dani to make her decision.

“Am I gonna have to start ordering some to keep at the house?” Reggie teased, a playful glimmer filling her hazel eyes.

Dani just laughed, shaking her head, and replied, “You know it’ll never last.”

“You’re probably right,” Reggie agreed with a laugh of her own, “Your dad would eat it all. I never understood how he could keep his figure when he has the worst sweet tooth I’ve ever seen!”

Dani giggled, stating, “Chalk it up to a fast metabolism. He’s always been that way. Hell, he could eat a whole _tub_ of ice cream and never gain an ounce. The man’s like a human garbage disposal. And don’t even get me _started_ on my brothers.”

“Lucky bastards,” Reggie grumbled under her breath.

_“Tell_ me about it!” Dani exclaimed before returning her attention to the goodies behind the glass.

She nibbled at her bottom lip, trying to narrow it down to at least two choices so that she and Laney could share them.

But Reggie made the decision for her, shaking her head and grabbing a couple small, Styrofoam containers.

“Here,” she said, sliding the display case open and reaching inside.

She pulled out the raspberry rumble cheesecake and Dani’s mouth practically watered as she watched her slide a piece off of the tin pan and into one of the Styrofoam containers before placing the tin back in its place and grabbing another one.

“What are you –,” Dani started to ask before Reggie shot her a quick look and shook her head, telling her, “Don’t you worry about it.”

The playful twinkle in her eye and slow smile that curled at her lips had Dani shaking her head.

“Reg –,” she started to protest.

But Reggie stopped her with a pointed glance, raising one brow at her and daring her to continue.

“I said don’t worry about it,” Reggie repeated herself as she slid a piece of the brownie cheesecake into the same container.

She went on to put a mint brownie and a cheesecake brownie into the other container, closing them both up and setting them on top of the counter as well.

Dani sighed, knowing that there was no way in hell she was going to win this one, not against Reggie.

So, she reached back for her wallet and asked, “How much do I owe you?”

Reggie just scoffed at that, laughing and shaking her head as she said, “Please! You know your money’s no good here. Now get outta here. I’ll see you for dinner tomorrow.”

With that, she gave a jerk of her head towards the door. Dani nodded, slipping her wallet back into the back pocket of her shorts and gathering her things.

They always had family dinner on Friday nights. It was a family tradition, one that Reggie had started _years_ ago – and one that was strictly upheld and could only be avoided if one was sick or dying as far as Reggie was concerned.

Dani turned to leave, the drink carrier in one hand and the small, Styrofoam containers stacked on top of each other in the other, and Reggie called after her, “Oh, and Dani?”

“Yeah?” Dani inquired, stopping halfway to the door.

“Happy birthday, honey,” Reggie told her, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Dani groaned. She’d forgotten all about it. And now, it was too late to call into work, go back to bed, and hibernate for the rest of the day so as to avoid anyone getting any brilliant ideas for her birthday. Then again, knowing Laney and her own sister, they’d probably already had something planned for like a _month_ now.

Reggie laughed as Dani headed out the door, walking to the bookstore next door, where her best friend, Elena Summers, or Laney as they had always called her, met her at the door.

“Oh! What kind of goodies did you bring me?!” Laney nearly squealed in her excitement, her brilliant, blue eyes fastened to the Styrofoam containers Dani held.

A quick glance around the bookstore proved that their other coworker, Joel Mathers, was perched on a stool behind the cash register.

“You’ll have to excuse her,” Joel told Dani, “She’s already had her rocket fuel this morning.”

Dani giggled at that.

“Am I late?” Dani questioned, her emerald colored eyes finding first Joel and then Laney.

Joel was _never_ there before Dani, even when he opened the shop.

“No,” Joel answered, “The Trans-Am took a shit on me this morning. It decided it didn’t feel like coming in to work, I guess. So, Laney here gave me a ride.”

Dani couldn’t help but giggle at that. She and Joel had been friends since middle school but, sometimes, he was completely oblivious. Like the fact that he had no _idea_ that her best friend from grade school was into him.

Laney gave her a sharp elbow to the ribs, causing her to glare back at Laney in return. Laney raised her brows at her and gave her a “What the hell?” look before jerking her head in Joel’s direction.

But Joel had totally missed it, choosing instead to focus his attention on searching through their stash of miscellaneous items in the drawers behind the counter until he was able to produce two plastic forks.

“Get your mind out of the gutter and get your ass over here with the goodies,” Joel scolded, “It’s too early in the morning for that shit.”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. She loved the fact that she got to come to work and spend the day with her two of her best friends five days a week. It was just like high school all over again. The only thing that was missing was Bug.

Dani shook her head, laughing, and made her way over join him, Laney right on her heels. The girls took a seat on the other two stools that were positioned there behind the counter and Dani set their breakfast on the counter.

She handed out their drinks first before popping the two boxes of goodies open to reveal the goodies that Reggie had stashed in them for the small group of friends.

“Ooo!” Laney squealed, her blue eyes lighting up and a grin stretching clear across her face as she saw what was in the boxes.

“Easy there, killer,” Joel cracked, “Don’t get too excited now or you’ll pull something.”

Laney slit her eyes at him even as Dani giggled, shaking her head at them.

“So…?” Laney hinted, “Which one’s mine?”

Dani couldn’t contain her laughter, shaking her head once more as she informed her best friend, “Which one do you want, Joel?”

“Don’t look at me,” he told them, passing the forks over to the girls and holding his hands up, “You know I don’t do the whole ‘breakfast’ thing.”

“Yeah, right,” Laney scoffed, “Coming from the man who snarfed an entire cold pizza down for breakfast just last week.”

“Eww!” Dani cried, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

“Yeah,” Laney agreed with a nod, pointing her fork at first one of the containers and then the other as she said, “Eenie, meanie, miney, mo –,”

“Here,” Dani told her, reaching out to scoop up the cheesecake brownie and sliding it onto the top half of the container that held the slices of cheesecake, “You take the brownie cheesecake and the mint brownie. I’ll take the cheesecake brownie and the raspberry rumble cheesecake. I haven’t gotten to try it yet and you _raved_ about it the last time you got a slice.”

Laney nodded in agreement, reaching out to use her fork to scoop her slice of cheesecake into the top half of the container that held her brownie.

“There,” the girls said in unison before smiling at each other.

They tucked into their sweet treats, Laney mumbling a quick “Thanks for breakfast, Dani” between bites, and Joel shook his head at them.

“As if you need any more sugar or caffeine,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes at Laney.

“You leave my brownie out of this,” Laney warned, pointing her fork at him.

“Yeah, _okay…”_ Joel replied, rolling his eyes just to give her shit.

But, rather than bust his chops for it, Laney changed the subject, turning her attention to Dani as she asked, _“So…_ Did you have another dream about him?”

Dani’s cheeks flushed a bright shade of red and that piqued Joel’s interest.

“Dream about _who?”_ he inquired, “Who’s ‘him’?”

“Oh, just this _really_ hot guy she’s been having dreams about for the past three months now,” Laney stated as simply as if she was reciting the alphabet, leaving Dani to gape at her with her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Laney!” Dani scolded.

“And I’m just now finding out about this?” Joel questioned.

“Well… Yeah,” Dani said, squirming a little in her seat.

She _really_ didn’t care to be discussing this with Joel present. He gave her enough shit as it was. This would only give him more fuel for the fire. It was bad enough talking to Laney about it, but the two girls had never kept a secret between them their whole lives.

“So! Spill it!” Laney demanded, tucking back into her brownie.

She could see that the two of them needed to have a nice, long discussion about the concept of privacy and, more importantly, secrecy. As much as she loved Laney, Laney was _awful_ at keeping secrets.

“Come on, Lane,” Dani tried, “Can we not?”

She shot a pointed glance over in Joel’s direction, but Joel shook his head, a slow, sure grin stretching across his face as he told her, “Oh no. You’re not getting off the hook _that_ easily. Come on. It couldn’t have been _that_ bad, Miss V Card.”

Dani gasped, her eyes growing wide and her mouth falling open as he said it.

“Shut up!” she cried, “At least I don’t fuck anything in a skirt!”

“Okay, I’m not _that_ bad,” Joel countered, “I have _some_ standards.”

“Yeah, like they can’t have a dick,” Laney chimed in, “But that’s about it.”

Joel narrowed his brown eyes at her and gave a huff before fixing his gaze on Dani once more, “Come on. Spill it.”

The rest of Dani’s afternoon had been spent trying to avoid any and all questions pertaining to the rather graphic dreams she kept having of her mystery vampire.

Once their shift was over, the three friends closed up the shop and started for their cars, Joel following Laney over to hers.

“Hey, so we’re still on for tonight, right?” Laney asked as she fished the keys to her 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse out of her pocket.

“On for what?” Dani inquired.

“For your _birthday,_ you Dorkasaurus Rex,” Laney teased.

“Oh! Right!” Dani said, giving a nod, “Yeah. Yeah, of course.”

“All right. Be ready by 6:30,” Laney told her.

Dani just nodded.

“Oh! And wear something _sexy!”_ Laney called over the top of her car just before she ducked inside and slid into the driver’s seat.

Something sexy?

Dani swallowed hard.

What the hell had she just gotten herself into?

Dani was staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror that was hung on the back of her bedroom door when there was a knock at the front door. She knew that she didn’t have to open it. If it was Laney, she’d just come right on in.

And she did, making her way back to Dani’s bedroom, where Dani was currently standing in just a pair of tiny, black, lace panties and a matching bra, holding first a sleek, black, long-sleeved, V-cut “boob shirt” as Laney liked to call it because it showed off a little of her cleavage – the _only_ “boob shirt” that Dani had, for that matter – up in front of herself in the mirror and then a cute, white lace top that tied around her neck, letting the straps come down to form a V between her collarbones that met at her breasts and connected to the top.

“No, no, no,” Laney said from her place in the doorway, where she’d been propped, watching as Dani tried to weigh her options, “That’ll never do. Here, I brought the party to you.”

She walked into the room, pulling a short, black, lace dress from behind her back and showing it off to Dani.

“Laney, I…” she started before trailing off.

The dress was beautiful, but there was no way in _hell_ Dani would be able to pull it off. Dani didn’t look good in dresses. Hell, Dani didn’t look good in _anything!_ And that was _precisely_ why she stuck with her jeans and t-shirts or hoodies most days. Dani was _nothing_ like Laney. Dani didn’t have the big boobs or the slender waist or the skinny little chicken legs. Dani was 21 years old and she only had a B cup. She needed to lose about 10 or 15 pounds around the waist if she was honest, and she’d _never_ had a thigh gap. Her legs were short and stocky, more muscular, compared to all the other girls her age. And she had a bigger ass than most white girls she knew.

But Laney was on a mission.

“Don’t even try to say no,” Laney told her, starting right over to take the coat hangers from Dani’s grip and toss the discarded shirts onto Dani’s bed, “You’ll look _great_ in it.”

“But –,” Dani started to protest, only to be cut off.

“Besides,” Laney informed her, “It’s a birthday present.”

“A birthday present?” Dani questioned, her brows hiking up her forehead.

“Yep,” Laney confirmed with a nod, “From me to you. You’re welcome.”

“God, how much did you _pay_ for this thing?!” Dani cried as Laney held it up for her to see, letting her run her fingers over the soft, black lace.

“Don’t worry about it,” Laney said, shaking her head, “It doesn’t matter. You’re worth it, Dani. Now come on, let’s get you in this thing and get you all dolled up. Joel’s making reservations for dinner and Bug’s gonna meet us there.”

But why would Joel have to make reservations? They _never_ went to fancy restaurants.

“Reservations?” Dani inquired.

“That’s what I said, wasn’t it?” Laney asked, her dark brows furrowing for a moment.

“Well, yes, but –,” Dani tried to tell her before Laney interrupted her once more, insisting, “Less talk, more dressing.”

“Okay, okay!” Dani finally conceded, reaching out to accept the dress that Laney offered her.

At exactly 6:35, Laney had just finished putting the finishing touches on Dani’s makeup. Dani’s green eyes grew wide. The young woman staring back at her in the mirror didn’t even _look_ like her. Her long, mousy brown curls were held up against the back of her head with a big, black clip, her eyes bearing a shimmering shade of golden eyeshadow. Her eyes were accentuated with black liquid liner in a dramatic cat’s eye design over her upper eyelid and along her lower one as well as black mascara to make her lashes look even longer and fuller. Her lips were coated in a thin layer of shimmering, hot cocoa flavored lip gloss that was just a shade or two darker than her actual lips, and Laney had spritzed her down with a lovely, chocolate and amber scented body mist that made her skin sparkle when the light hit it.

Her long, elegant neck was accentuated by a string of intricate, black, tear-shaped beads that were strung around a black, beaded choker and Laney was just slipping the earrings that matched into Dani’s ears. But it was the dress that really shocked her. The dress fit her like a second skin, clinging to her every curve, from the slight swell of her small breasts to the dip of her waist to the flare of her hips and on down to the curve of her ample ass. The dress was sleek and sexy, lace straps holding the dress up on her shoulders and the hemline at the bottom resting halfway down her thighs. God, she’d _never_ shown off this much skin!

Her green eyes finally landed on her feet, which were still bare. But Laney was quick to fix that little problem, remedying the situation by producing a small, strappy pair of black heels. She ushered Dani over to take a seat on her bed, slipping her small feet into the open-toed concept of the shoes and fixing all the little straps that crisscrossed over her feet into place before lacing the heels up just above Dani’s ankles.

Dani was thankful that Laney had been the one to put the shoes on her because, if she was honest, Dani didn’t know if she ever would’ve been able to figure all of those straps out herself. Hell, she didn’t even know if she’d be able to walk in the damn things! The first and only other time she’d ever tried to wear heels, she’d almost broken her damn ankle!

Laney reached up to slide Dani’s long bangs from behind her ears to let them frame her face and then handed Dani her glasses, smiling as she told her, “Now come on. Our reservations are for 7:00 and we don’t want to be late.”

“God, Bug is gonna fucking _die_ when he sees you!” Laney cried as the girls climbed out of her Eclipse.

“Oh, he is not!” Dani protested, shaking her head at the very idea of her childhood best friend having romantic feelings for her.

Aiden Burton, or “Bug” as everyone called him, thanks to his black, plastic-framed glasses, had been Dani’s friend for as long as she could remember. He was the sweet but nerdy type, having helped her with more math assignments than she ever cared to admit. The boy was a genius, as far as Dani was concerned, but there was no way in _hell_ he wanted to get her in the sack the way Laney had been dying to get at Joel since they were 15. Bug just wasn’t like that. He’d always been there for her. He’d always been her rock, her safe place, even when everything else seemed out of place. They always texted each other throughout the day, just to check in and see how things were going. They texted each other each night before bed and they often hung out on the weekends or sometimes during the week for lunch or dinner. But there was never _any_ indication that Bug had any feelings for her other than the simple, platonic relationship they had.

Of course, that hadn’t stopped Reggie from prodding at Dani about it, always telling her that “That Aiden boy would make a really good boyfriend, you know that? He’s one of the few good Irishmen left out there.” Dani didn’t know if it was because of the fact that Bug was always there for her when Dani needed him or if it was due to the simple fact that he was Irish – accent and all. But Reggie had even roped her dad into it. Just last week, Dani’s father had told her that Bug was probably the only guy he’d ever known that he would actually approve of her dating – and that was really saying something because her dad didn’t approve of _any_ boy she’d ever known being around her, other than her brothers, and that was only because they were related by blood. But Dani got the feeling that her dad only felt that way because he didn’t have to worry about Bug trying to put the moves on her.

As the girls met at the front of the car, Dani reached down to tug at the hem of the dress, still feeling a little self-conscious with so much of her skin showing.

“Oh, stop it!” Laney scolded, reaching out to capture her hand in one of her own and tugging her for the front door of the restaurant, “You look _amazing_ in that dress, and I’ll personally punch anyone that tells you any differently in the face.”

Dani couldn’t help but giggle at that. Coming from Laney, she’d believe it.

She let her best friend drag her into the restaurant, where they found the hostess and Laney informed the girl, “We’re with a party of four. Two guys should already be here. We’ve got reservations under the name Mathers.”

The perky blonde nodded and escorted them back to a booth near the window, where the girls found the boys waiting for them.

“Oh my… _God!”_ Bug muttered, his green eyes nearly bulging from their sockets when they landed on Dani, “Dani…? Is that _you…?”_

Dani felt the heat rush to her cheeks, and she lowered her head slightly, wishing that her hair was down so that it would hide her face.

“Yeah,” she mumbled before her eyes found Laney, who was standing there with a smug little smirk and an “I told you so” expression on her face.

“Whaddya know?” Joel razzed from his seat in the inside corner of the booth as Bug slid out of the opposite corner to pull Dani into a tight hug and bury his face in her hair, “She _does_ clean up nicely. Just like a little alley cat. You bring them in, give them a little TLC, and they’re like a brand-new cat.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Laney spat back as she watched the two embrace.

Dani smiled, her eyes drifting shut as his warmth radiated through her, calming her nerves. Dani was almost a foot shorter than Bug, who was nearly 6’0”, so he had to bend slightly to hug her, wrapping his tall, lanky form around her small, delicate one.

“Thanks,” she whispered into his ear, “I needed that.”

“You look _great,”_ he reassured her, “Happy birthday, Dani.”

She smiled, letting her eyes open once more before she stepped back, slowly pulling herself from his embrace.

Laney was already seated beside Joel in the other side of the booth, so Dani slid in next to Bug.

He draped his arm over her shoulder and leaned in to whisper into her ear, “What do you think they’re talking about?”

He gave a nod of his head towards their mutual friends, who were busy whispering back and forth across the table from them, and Dani shrugged her shoulders.

“Who knows,” she replied, “All I know is that I’m _starving.”_

Bug chuckled then, shaking his head at her and teasing lightly, “Yep. Same old Dani under there.”

She smiled, digging her elbow into his side playfully and wrinkling her nose at him.

“So, what the hell did they rope me into this time?” Dani inquired, fixing him with her emerald gaze, “I don’t think a simple dinner date requires a dress like this.”

Bug just laughed, shaking his head at her, and told her, _“Oh_ no. I tell you and Laney will _kill_ me.”

But Dani found out just what Laney had up her sleeve when they finished their dinner. Laney had insisted that Dani ride with Bug to their next destination, which had only served to make her even more nervous about their unknown destination and what exactly the rest of her night would entail.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Bug told her as they pulled into a parking space across the street from the new club that had just opened there in Jericho, the one that everyone was talking about, “I had _nothing_ to do with this.”

“Oh… My… _God…”_ Dani mumbled, her voice just barely above a whisper.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. Laney was dragging her to a _night_ club on her 21st birthday?! And not just _any_ club, but _The Phoenix? Everyone_ was talking about it.

“Listen, if you don’t wanna go in, you just give me the word. You can play sick and I’ll take you home and they’ll never know the difference,” he offered, sympathy shining in his brilliant, green eyes.

“Listen, man, we _both_ know that’s not an option,” Joel piped up as he leaned into the open driver’s side window, nearly scaring both of the occupant’s of the car half to death, “Laney would kill you both.”

“Jesus, man!” Bug cursed, “Don’t do that shit! Where is Laney anyway?”

“She went to go have a little chat with the bouncer,” Joel said with a nod of his head in the direction of the club, “Apparently, her father knows the owner of the club.”

_“Of course,_ she does,” Bug mumbled.

“Just my luck…” Dani grumbled.

“Is there anybody in this town that Laney _doesn’t_ know?” Bug inquired, cocking one brow at Joel.

“Probably not,” Joel answered with a shake of his head, his messy mop of curly, blonde hair swaying with the effort.

Laney chose that moment to turn around and fix her gaze on the little group of friends that were gathered at Bug’s car, giving them a pointed look and a nod of her head for them to come on.

“Hey, man,” Bug told Joel, giving a little jerk of his head in Laney’s direction, “Just… Just give us a second, okay? We’ll be there in a minute. Go catch up to Laney and make sure she doesn’t have a fucking aneurism or something.”

Joel laughed at that, nodding, and replied, “Hey, man, it’s your funeral, not mine.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bug said, shrugging him off with a dismissive wave of his hand before Joel walked away, leaving the two of them alone once more.

Dani looked over to Bug then, her brows furrowed in question.

“Look, Dani…” he started, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you… I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now, but…”

He reached up to scratch at the back of his neck even as he fidgeted slightly in his seat.

That caused Dani to grow even more curious.

“Bug…?” she prompted.

“Dani…” he tried once more, “I…”

There was a sharp blast of a car horn beside them, causing both of them to nearly jump right out of their skin and Bug swore sharply.

“Jesus Christ!” he exclaimed even as Dani gasped, one hand flying up to cover her chest.

They both looked over to find Laney standing beside her car with one hand on her hip and an expectant look in her blue eyes.

“Oh, for _fuck’s_ sake!” Bug cried, “Can’t I get two fucking minutes alone with the birthday girl?!”

“No,” Laney huffed, “Now come on. Let’s go.”

“Oh, forget it,” Bug sighed, pushing his door open and sliding out of the car.

Dani frowned but followed suit.

What was it that he’d wanted to tell her? It must’ve been something important if he was tripping all over his words. Sure, Bug was a bit socially awkward, but he was _never_ at a loss for words.

She felt Bug drape his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side as he looked both ways before jogging across the street to the bustling line that was gathering outside of the club. The music was thumping clear outside of the club, the bass pulsing loudly as some techno song blared out of the speaker systems.

_Ice, shock, tremble in my chains  
Waiting for your hands to light me up again  
Tick, tock, longing for the pain  
Plug me in, turn me on, connect me to the mains_

_  
(Shock me) Shock, shock, I want it  
(Cut me) Up, up, into man size  
Give me the perfect body  
(Rip me) Up, up, I'll be your dream tonight_

_I feel you coming down tonight  
There's power in your hands tonight  
There's power in your hands to give me life  
To give me life tonight_

_  
My heart's in my mouth and it's time  
Release me and open my eyes  
I'm ready tonight and I see the life  
Alive, alive,  
Alive, alive, alive  
And it feels so good (good)_

_So good  
  
_

_Ice, hot, running through my veins  
You are the doctor playing with my brain  
And the knife cuts sweetly through the pain  
Plug me in, turn me on, connect me to the mains_

_  
Cut me, operator  
Cut me just right  
Put me back together  
Do what you like  
Oh, please operator, deeper inside  
Operator, I'll be your dream tonight_

_I feel you coming down tonight  
There's power in your hands tonight  
There's power in your hands to give me life  
To give me life tonight_

_  
My heart's in my mouth and it's time  
Release me and open my eyes  
I'm ready tonight and I see the life  
Alive, alive, alive, alive, alive  
And it feels so good (good)_

_So good (Tremble in my chains)  
So good (Longing for the pain)_

Dani couldn’t believe her eyes as they walked into the club, her green eyes darting every which way, taking in the whole scene in front of her, the flashing, neon lights, the bass thumping from the speakers loud enough for her to feel it through the floor, pulsing up through her body. There were dozens of sweaty bodies gyrating on the dancefloor, heads thrashing, hands grabbing, hips grinding.

“Jesus, it’s like they’re having sex out there on the dancefloor!” Bug cried, having to shout to be heard over the music.

Dani just nodded in agreement. Despite the chaos, it was beautiful, really. Flashes of blue, pink, and purple lit up the club, bright, white lights illuminating the bar from underneath it – or maybe even inside of it.

Laney and Joel walked in front of them, guiding the way as they cut a path straight through the crowd and up to the bar.

Once they’d reached their destination, Laney started placing orders, only to be met with a skeptical look from the bartender as he cocked one brow at her and asked, “Aren’t you a little young, sweetheart? How’d you get in here anyway?”

Laney sneered at him, her lips pulling back from her teeth, and reached down into her dress to pull her ID from only God knew where. She handed it over to the bartender, whose eyes skimmed over it briefly before recognition lit up his face and he jerked his head up to let his eyes find Laney once more.

“Is there going to be a problem here?” Laney inquired.

“Not at all,” he assured her, shaking his head, “My mistake. Drinks are on me tonight.”

“That’s what I thought,” Laney replied, “Now, as I was saying, I want…”

Dani’s attention drifted then, her eyes skimming over the crowd before they landed on one face that stood out from all the rest. Every muscle in her body grew tense as she realized that she recognized that face, her heart leaping up into her throat as it threatened to constrict. Her very lungs stopped functioning for a second, her green eyes widening as she took in the features of that all-too-familiar face.

When her heart restarted, it beat double time, thumping frantically against her ribcage as it threatened to beat right out of her chest. She would recognize that face anywhere.

“Dani…?” she heard somewhere off in the distance, “Dani…?”

But she couldn’t pull her eyes from that face, those fierce, pale, viridescent irises.

“It’s him…” she mumbled under her breath.

** Lyrics from the Songs: **

_Go_ by Delilah

_Alive_ by Adrian Lux feat. The Good Natured


End file.
